Cleaning implement



Nov. 23, 1943. s,` sTElNMl-:Tz ETAL I 2,334,796

`CLEANING IMPLEMENT Filed Feb. 6, 1941 ATTORNEY @leaning Winaoiw-s;am;otherV similar "Surfaces, and

ration.

-ementionedbriid..- @leallihe 'implemle .11. Whih the @leerlingen-.

Y Ported undef reslientpres .iigi-zflyl. i `orstrand'ends Awill, be broughtliiitofContaotrrith` .tHeS'urfaC'ebQD Cleaned, thus"s`ubjec'ting" it to. 'thejinterlsive cleaning? action off a relatiVly Y foriedfof the fruloberiedA Wovenfabri Y fact-, thatthef trand's are- Waterfabsorbent-L. they WillzabsorbQ sui'cient water lso l as` to provide' a pecially desirablein the clea r1in g A of such;4 l

g A5 further object is .to provide. leaning irni pleinent including j a s queegee-` elemen l disposed-in such `lrelation to.` the scrubbmgor .llportions scratoh suonv surface., To this end is particu-1 larly` propos e 1t 0` provide af oleaningfimplement in which the cleaning surf-acefisgin the, fornn'of1- a heavy4 Woven` fabric, impregnatedl ands` -coated with rubber, 'andehjaving perforationsfgetherein Vwhich have-the doubleafunctionn presenting numerous 1 relatively sharpliedges dispused,l ,in all directions for engaging-the surface-:being cleaned;

` andf-alsofofprovidinginlet..andgoutletpassagesifon the; Waterggso, that. such 'Waterfwill flows-to vthe surfaceA being cleaned. through `these perforations,`

other pointsiasfthe-cleaning implementis-moved such actionbeingfin the; nature ofalpumping'f of Vthe Waterbroughtf;aboutgthroughfthe application andfliftng. of pressure'upon thef'implementt 'Thev rubberized fabric materialiisf'sirnilar `to that' f employecll'intire making, andinas, -in fact,- be

reclaimed from Vused tires." 11n preparingitliis or scrubbing action.;

into operative position followingF the brushing 1sals o proposed `to f provide as part of;

aispesdj inY suza; relation to, the brushing@ scrubbing s u r fac: eV that, as tllejeleaning irnplefI mentis brought Vinto vclose proximityto a Wall,

the'corner `cleaningelement may be brought. Y intoY operative engagement with thecornerv between the floor and the Wall simply-bytilting,

the -irnplenient -so that. the cleaning of .such oor-- cleaning; ofV the floor surface. l ;-Itis1.further proposed to provide a cleaning# v impleinentincludinga pressure applying Water `and will alsoY-loe-,piolred upfan'clr distributed to constantly supply desired quantities; 0f. Water' 1 throug-h greater or less pressure 'appliedftoathe .implement; This. elementis preferably, in the supplying means in theformot awater-storing and `expelling element, Whieh at thelbeginning o i-j the cleaning.V operation may .be filled with Water and during the"cleaningf-operation-lv Will?` formfofafsponge rubber block/.Whiohi in addi` will produce? 1an" effe'etive A non-abrasive "dirt-re# tion-,to-fitsaproperties fof; pifoviclimgl a fresilient.

Ysupport'fand'amzvater reservoir is relativelyy soft? and will not mar 'or :scratch the surface beingl moi/ingrubbingsurfaceforcontatt 'Withlthe -sur- Y face being eleanedi VIt is` further -proposed tog-provide thee perforatiens in 1' the *rubbing 'surf ace vvin `such relation that *asl the surface isi'l'eiedthrough downward' pressure #upon theimplement fand forward* orbaolrWa-rdV propelling pressure; the "relatively theJ fsurface .flbeing cleaned with 'fa 'scrapingi squeegeefaeton; and'lat'fthe Sametime the-thread With `theabove and other obiects View, A` 'embodiments-of theinvent'onfare' shoWnY-in the accompanying drawing; and these embodif-f ments will be hereinafter more fully* iesoribedE with referenceV thereto, and the inventionfwillf be finally pointed out in theclaims.y

` In the draatling:r Fig. 1 is aside elevationofa cleaning implementof scruloloinglvor brushing type according Y tofone exemplary enbodiment-ofthe invention.l Fig.. 2 isla bottom plan View.

'Fig. 3 y isfan` end elevation from endrofA the implement.

VIllu-g1 implement a corner engaging elelll@ 1N the squeegee" beingcle'aned. Y y Figgff isa fragmentary sideelevationj .ofY the corner lcleaningY element end 'of'vfthe implement "andshowing the same inY operative ,engagement fewilh'flolrlelbng Cleaned- 1 l 'is a4 front elevation of. a,cleansingimpleA Y I'nent according to'a'modiediorn'ofthe inveiili nd particularly 'adapted as an 'mplemen't f. Figiizisfa horizontally freiem y, n

'. viewftakenalong the line !2'-lf2joi*Fig; 9.; n

Fig.`4 is an end elevation from the corner cleaning element end of the implemnt.V A

Fig. 5v isv alongitudinal sectional view'of one end ofthe implement, and'shovving the deflection of the vscrubbing surface WhenV the imple` ment is pressed downwardly in engagement with in the the surfacey to' be cleaned and .moved Fig. 6 is aisin'iilarviewshowingthe deflection of'.l the cleaning surface Whengthe implement vISfirriilar reference v cl'iaracters:V indicate corre-f spondingpar'ts' throughout thefseveraliguresof the'"dravving. f

v*Referring to .the dra-'Wingfand'"incre-vvV rticu- 1o 'isymoved intheiopposite direction in the direction of the arrow to the right. v v g f.' "j.

I Fig. "7 is afragmentary side elevation of the, squeegee'endvof the implement and sho'vsrli'r'igthen sameV in operative engagement with thesurfacel.

ntary sectional.-Y

' Duringthisoperation tlie-shaiilgcutedgesfthe rubber"engage Vthe floor with'afscraping! action; f

them lare arranged transversely in` centralized trances for Waterto flowY to the inner surfacejof the corrugatienegand qownwaroiytogtne perfora-ftions provided ini the convex corrugations.

As is clear fromFigures 3 and 4 the perforations f', l ..l9"are`out ofv engagement With the oorrsurface vat their .side edges'when .there is no downward` rpressure applied tothe brush, so that water :dow- 'ing through the opensides will flow through the j f v ;perforations beneath the brushingor scrubbing surfaces. Asdownvvard pressureis applied to they?V brush, the edgesof these perforationsare pressed intolengagement Withrthe iloora surface, and; thereupon as therbru'shismoved longitudinally, fSSlDWni'n Figs. 5 and 6J @needeeoffthe plfpra: I tions isjforceablydrav/n along'th'e vfloor surface -f i Withfasqueegee' action While-the 'otheredge l "will Y' 5;.

be slightly' raised 'fromfthe Hoor fsurfacefvtojallvv cleaning water tendstoeirectiiaiiyioosleathe` dirt? ment f shovvn therein, clornprisesfa rectangular handle lil;V preferably in the forni-fof a Woodblock, althoughitfbeiunderstood that any other suitable enatrial may be'used instead;A 'Inthe' respective ends V'of this block-there arepro'vide'd'horizontal andtherei's no tendencylto unravel, and there'nd's Mofthese Warpfar'itl` weft: strandsare exposed* alongithecutjedges, Where they have/th effect offprovidingtnuinerous closely-arranged minute;

' 'The'strip I3 isextended from the end'engagedV i ably have provision ,for selectively/securing suohf'" inthe sl'ot'IZ` in thelforin of 4atorner-cleaning 'lio and -Weft; strands Aare brought' into` contactwitli Y the .iioor surface; Inasnriuch yastliesestrands@ Will retainwater,theimplementniay be effectu- 'l allyemployed in `cleanirigfsu'chsurf-aces as glass;

' thef'waterretainedf,infthe'strandbeingsuicient to clean. the surface While th'esharply cutrubber edges-.follow the action of thebruslies and sqllee f loop portiori'fl V'projectedhorizontally'from/fone- A end- 'of thefhandled il, andis vcarried .beneath fthe` under-surfaceofthe end of the handle Vyvlfiere,

this loop portion lis: secured' by nails l! 6 driven 'upwardlythrough the Yportion of thefstrip heneathVv "the handle and through the portion ofthestrip engagedlinthe slot l2.`j The strip is. corrueaterlirom the nails E along the underside of the handle .lli andjsecb dat the concaveba'sesof thewoorrugationsby nails l1,

the.convexA l corrugrations projecting downwardly from the undersufrace"of the handl'ein the form of a, series of longitudinal 'spaced yieldablle cleaningor brushing surfaces. The' last `convex corrugation atthe".` 'end of thestripis secured byjengagigt'h end of the strip'with the verticaiena fs'fa'ee ofV the bandi@ i o Vbeneath the slot-l and fastening it by nailsll8; The strip is provided Withjperfoationsjv-l9;andftnese'rnay be of Varying size and are arranged so 'thatalplurality of,

; Within .the slot 'I l vthere is engaged a flexible squeegee element 20, made-from the same jmate-l rial as'the corrugated cleaning elementV |3,l'a`r'id securecLtherein by nails 2| vdrivenfur'wvardly from y the under-side offthe hand1e |;through the in"- serted portion Within the'slot vl I.-. ThisL squeegee f member.; has a straight .operating edge and end' edges converging,fromytherelatively long operati-y ing edge to the sidesyof the handle l0.;

.fqWliilethe cleaning implement is shown for Y felation byfbeing gripped in the -hand ittvill'be n .4 understood thatifydesireda pole'handle:may.be f 1 screwedptherein. 'I`hel implement Would; prefer.

poleghandle sothat ,it would extendfinlopposite. n -1 Ydirectionjavvay fromlthe s ueegee edge'ofithe QQnveniently- Operated in coniurwtiolr With-the @leaning operation-being carried, onnbythenorel10n to squeeeeethe Vdirt wntaininsfwater-fromthe @leaned Surfaef The Cornerleanineportionj I5 is also adapted tobe operatedY in c onjunctigm'v withiheleanineelementifbyltiagtths handle .as/shown in Eis. :lalfollowlng thecleaning Opere-r 'I tionrwith thercleanne' element l3, t9 engage :the loopfportion 15in. alf-comerbetweelrthefoorandf ble, so that the connecting portions between the perforations may beeasily forced angle of the corner. L

In Figs. 9 to 12 wehave illustrated a modified into the sharp 'form of the invention which is particularly adapt-l j ed for window cleaningyalthough it may con'- providing resilientisupport andv at the same time acting as aV reservoir for water which will be expelled through the perforations 32 andat the .sides ofthe cleaning element upon the applicaveniently be used for general cleaning purposes. y

A rectangular block member 22 is providedat its respective ends with horizontal slots 23 and 24,V

corresponding substantially in placement to the slots H and I2 of the first embodiment, and along the forward surface of the b loclrthere is provided a slightly upwardly inclined slot 25 extending` ber block member is simply retained in place by between the slots 23 and 2li. Within the slot 2t.

there is engaged one end of aflexible cleaning strip 26, secured by nails l2l driven upwardly from the under-side of the block 22 through the portion of the strip inserted in the slot 23, the

strip being carried beneath the block 22 in substantially spaced relationthereto and its other end being engaged in the slot 24 and secured by nails 28 driven downwardly from the upper side of the block 22 through the portion of the strip engaged in the slot 2li. engaged in the slots 23 and-24 are cut away at their forward extremities as at 25J, so that these extremities will be substantially flush with the base of the slot 25, and will, therefore,` not inter-1 fere with the engagement in the slot 25 of the,

longitudinally extending squeegee element 'v 30,'

which is secured therein by'a series of nails 3l, j driven upwardly from the under-side ofthe block Y 22 through the portion of the squeegee element engaged in the slot 25.

The cleaning element 26 and squeegeeelement 30 are both constructed of the same bias cut flexible rubberized woven fabric material as the corresponding elements of theffirst embodiment, and the cleaning element 26 is provided with a series of perfonations 32, preferably arranged in staggered rows. An'inclined ,pole handle 33 is engaged Aat its screw threaded end 34 in a threaded hole (i5l in the block member 22 and extends in opposite directionV to the sgueegee element. It will be understoodthat ifdesired the squeegee element may be provided at one end of the block member in similar arrangement to The ends of the stripV tion of Vpressure thereto. lt `will be understood of course that any other material having these properties may be employed. This sponge rubits own expansiorpressure so that it may be readily ldisengaged for the! purpose of cleaning and lfilling it with water.

We have illustrated andv described preferred and satisfactory embodiments of the invention,

vbut it will be understood that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appended claims'.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In a cleaning implement, a supporting block. member, and a cleaning element'disposed at its under-side comprising a flexible resilient strip of material of substantial thickness having spaced end portions thereof secured to said block and an intermediate portieri projecting downwardly therefrom in the form of a yieldable resilient loop, open at its longitudinal sides, said loop portion having perforations in itsprojected surface, the Walls of which are at an angle to the pro jected surface, said -perorations being in cemmunication at the inner side of said strip with said open longitudinal sides to allow'flow of water between said perforations and said open sides,

the longitudinal edges of said strip and the edges Vof said perforations adapted to move in engagethat shown in the first embodiment, in which casey the pole handle would extend in opposite direction thereto and longitudinally of the block member. 'f Y Whereas the series of 'convex cleaningl portions of the member I3 of the rst embodiment of the invention are resiliently Vsupported'b,1 the concave corrugations secured bythe nails Il, which arrangement imparts sufficient inherent stiffness to the kcleaning portions to maintain them in projected relation while allowing them` to flex under pressure, the cleaning element .-26 y is resilient supported in projected relation with` respect tothe block member 22 by an inserted ment Withtlie surface being cleaned as the strip is compressed-and iiexed through reciprocatory movement of the blockmember under pressure. 2. In a cleaning implement, a supporting` block vmember, and a cleaning element disposed at its under-side comprising a strip of flexible resilient material of substantial` thickness having spaced end portions thereof secured to said block and an intermediate portion projectingY downwardly therefrom vin the ferm4 of a yieldable resilient loop, operfat its longitudinal sides, said loop portion having perforations in itsprojected surface,

' said perforations being incommunication at the inner side of said strip with said open longitudinal sides to allow flow of water between said perforations and said open sides, the walls ofwhich are at anangle to the projected surface, and a flexi the edgesof saidperforations adapted toY move ble resilient water absorbing and expelling insert member engaged between said block member and said projected loop portion of said strip, and removably therefrom through said open `longitudinal sides, the longitudinal edges of said strip and Yinengageinent with the surface being cleaned as resilient block 36. This block is preferably formed of sponge rubber, which has the property of the strip is compressed and flexed through reciprocatory movement of the block member under pressure.

SAMUEL STEINMETZ. ISAAC E. SCHINE. 

